New footage showing discovery of Titanic wreckage released
New footage from the wreck of the RMS Titanic was released on Wednesday, offering a rare glimpse into the remains of the doomed ocean liner that sank in 1912.
The footage, released by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), was taken during a 1986 expedition to the ship. This journey "marked the first time that humans laid eyes on the vessel" since its discovery the previous year by oceanographer Robert Ballard, WHOI said.
The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City after striking an iceberg. More than 1,500 people died in what is considered one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Ballard described the day, nearly 40 years ago, that he finally found the long-lost ship, sitting in 12,400 feet of water in the North Atlantic Ocean.
"The first thing I saw coming out of the gloom at 30 feet was this wall, this giant wall of riveted steel that rose over 100 and some feet above us," Ballard said, adding that he "never looked down at the Titanic. I looked up at the Titanic. Nothing was small."
While no human remains were found, Ballard told AP, numerous shoes, including a pair from a mother and child, dotted the ocean floor, creating a sort of graveyard on the seabed.
The footage — which is being released in honor of the 25th anniversary of James Cameron's blockbuster film Titanic — shows new interior images of the wreck, WHOI said. This includes shots of a senior officer's cabin and other rare areas of the ship. All of the new footage can be seen below:
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
'Elevating Earth Day into a national holiday is not radical — it's practical'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
UAW scores historic win in South at VW plant
Speed Read Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have voted to join the United Auto Workers union
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 22, 2024
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - dystopian laughs, WNBA salaries, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Blind people will listen to next week's total eclipse
Speed Read While they can't see the event, they can hear it with a device that translates the sky's brightness into music
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why the Y chromosome is vanishing and what this means for the future
The Explainer A new sex gene could be on the evolution pipeline
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
An amphibian that produces milk?
speed read Caecilians, worm-like amphibians that live underground, produce a milk-like substance for their hatchlings
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jupiter's Europa has less oxygen than hoped
speed read Scientists say this makes it less likely that Jupiter's moon harbors life
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why February 29 is a leap day
Speed Read It all started with Julius Caesar
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US spacecraft nearing first private lunar landing
Speed Read If touchdown is successful, it will be the first U.S. mission to the moon since 1972
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Scientists create 'meaty' rice for eco-friendly protein
Speed Read Korean scientists have invented a new hybrid food, consisting of beef muscle and fat cells grown inside grains of rice
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published